Account Executive II (Public Sector)

Individuals in this role are accountable for achieving assigned sales targets on a quarterly and annual basis, and responsible for maximizing SAS software and services revenues from strategic named accounts within assigned territory. This senior role focuses on demonstrating sales leadership, complex account management based on a well formulated account strategy and formalized account plan, building and maintaining senior executive relationships (Board of Directors [BoD], CxO, EVP, SVP, VP Level, or for the Public Sector, the Deputy Minister (DM), Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Director-General (DG) and Director levels), leading an account team and other high-value solution sales tasks. The Client Solutions Executive (CSE) will apply consultative solution selling practices, develop innovative value-creation strategies and leverage SAS and partner resources in the identification, qualification and closing of complex solutions opportunities made up of software, services and domain expertise. A CSE working primarily with public sector accounts may be titled Government Sales Executive (GSE). The CSE/GSE may engage and team with a Product Sales Executive (PSE) as the need arises to ensure SAS product sales opportunities are developed within large accounts.


Responsibilities:

· Aggressively pursues and achieves a minimum of 100% of assigned quota (annually and quarterly) through sales of SAS Solutions software (as identified in the SAS \"Power to Know\" inverted pyramid) and services.
· Undertakes detailed research to establish the necessary account situational background to build and maintain a territory plan, account strategy and account plan in \"A\" level accounts. This may include developing creative ways to position SAS uniquely in each account.
· Maintains a clear understanding of assigned companies' fiscal business strategy, identified IT project list, key influencers and decision makers, decision and buying processes.
· Builds high-level strategic relationships, direct contacts and networks in each assigned account, ensuring complete coverage of the executive decision making individuals within the organization's hierarchy (BoD, CxO, EVP, SVP, VP Level). For the GSE, executive relationships will be established with the Deputy Minister (DM), Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Director-General (DG) and Director levels.
· Independently executes sales strategy to influence decision makers to close business and deliver optimal solutions and services as outlined in the plan for named accounts within the territory. The Account Plan, which is based on an approved and certified template, will outline a multi-year strategy to sell all possible components of the Power to Know pyramid to the account (including a strategy to sell through or with partners) including services.
· Continually remains vigilant in named accounts within the assigned territory and/or vertical industry to uncover multiple large solution sales opportunities. Manages multiple high value deals concurrently. May work with a Product Sales Executive to execute sales activities related to products identified in the \"Information Delivery Architecture\" layer of the SAS \"Power to Know\" inverted pyramid.
· Leads, orchestrates and delivers sales calls and presentations, partakes in demonstrations to \"C\" level management.
· Continually builds and maintains knowledge of SAS Solutions within applicable vertical industry, demonstrates ability to apply this knowledge to address customers' business pains.
· Assuming ultimate accountability for end result of all activity in assigned accounts throughout the sales process and in execution of the account strategy, the CSE/GSE will lead an account team that will include other cross-functional SAS staff to help position value to the account. Consistently seeks a referenceable sale.
· Will build strong relationship with SAS Alliances and through them, leverage partners to assist in maximizing account coverage and probability of wins.
· Builds a winning pricing strategy for the opportunity within standard and management defined criteria.
· Builds and maintains working knowledge of SAS licensing and pricing policies and paperwork requirements and ensures compliance to them.
· Prepares and delivers complex quotations, proposals and customer profiles.
· Negotiates complex contracts/bids and co-ordinates handling of other sales administration issues through leveraging sales support resources.
· Anticipates and creatively resolves problems through sales process.
· Assures continual account satisfaction through maximum responsiveness, superior service levels and personalized customer care.
· Is expected to review sales funnel activity on a weekly basis with sales management and maintain accurate and up-to-date sales tracking data in sales force automation system on a daily or weekly basis. Ensures that a Draft Action Plan (DAP) is in place for each active SSO at funnel stage \"C\", \"B\", and \"A\".
· Participates in all related SAS Industry Team meetings and events and will seek membership in industry related associations.
· Responsible for managing the sales pipeline and maintaining control of sales to ensure reasonable cycle length, sales volumes and win rate.
· Responsible to leverage internal resourceons and partner resources as required ensuring the effective delivery of SAS solution and services capabilities to customers. This means a complete working knowledge of our solutions delivery process through SAS Solutions team or through alliance partners.
· Actively participates in necessary SAS Solution training, selling techniques and methods and product capability workshops, in order to achieve and maintain certification as a SAS CSE.

Qualifications
Skills/Competencies:

· More than seven years experience successfully selling complex software and services solutions to senior level business executives, including 3 years experience selling to the Public Sector vertical. Historically consistent over-achievement of sales targets.
· Demonstrated research capability to analyze and evaluate account/territory/industry dynamics to develop a comprehensive account strategy. This would include financial analysis.
· Demonstrated abilities to lead a cross-functional account team responsible for executing account strategies using Solution Selling methodologies and techniques. A leader who works with and motivates the account team through the sale and beyond to ensure that customer provided exceptional service and business value through all aspects of the business relationship.
· Ability to rapidly build rapport with most senior levels of executive management (BoD, CxO, EVP, SVP, VP Level, or for the Public Sector, with the Deputy Minister (DM), Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Director-General (DG) and Director levels) and their operating business units, become their \"trusted advisor\" and rally SAS as their prime Enterprise Intelligence vendor.
· Ability to undertake independent research to assimilate and maintain current knowledge to SAS solutions and their applicability to the assigned territory and vertical industry.
· Initiates independent research of vertical industry to understand current issues of market space.
· Reflects on developed business acumen and developed SAS solutions knowledge to accurately transform client business pains to business value generating opportunities.
· Can communicate orally and in written form, with all levels of business and IT executives with accuracy, clarity and style reflective of the audience.
· Ability to develop and professionally deliver creative presentations that address business issues and values in language applicable to the audience.
· Demonstrated ability to negotiate and close complex deals.
· Capability to travel to customers or partners within the territory as often as daily and to Cary headquarters as often as quarterly.
· Completed university degree in Business, Marketing or other relevant discipline.


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